Flames
by HakuneKurai
Summary: Flames are the oldest type of magic to exist, and the first ever user was Zia. Zia Blayze was a passionate girl, and only wanted to coexist with the Dragons. However, no matter how determined she was, she had her doubts. Thus, hundreds of years later, when there's already a variety of magic in use, a young girl with the flames of the past awakened to right her wrong
1. Zero

( **Unknown** **Time Period** )

"Get back here at once, Zia!"

I was not one to stay in one place and staying in that old shabby place they call a place where children learn wasn't an exception. Too many 'place', I know. I'm fixing my vocabulary. The soles of my feet touched the straw roof, my hands reaching for them to maintain my balance. I was on the outskirts of the village.

"Zia! Get down from there!" I stuck out my tongue to annoy the caretaker, who roughly threw his sandal at me. It was easily dodged and I knew for a fact that he wouldn't do anything that could hurt me. He and I just have this weird relationship with him as my caretaker.

"Make me, Aine!" He let out a low growl in anger as he decided to give me that look. My entire skin considerably paled as no sooner than he gave that _look_ , I descended down from the roof and landed with little to no grace. "Do you know how dangerous that was?!" Crossing my arms above my non-existent chest, I couldn't see what I did wrong.

What was the matter with him? He was simply a caretaker in that place. Meaning, he shouldn't even bother with me. There are more children, who were rowdier and naughtier than I was, back at the class. "Dragons are lurking around these mountains at this time! Do you intend to get closer to them?" That was what I wanted.

I wanted to see Dragons up close, not just from far away. I wanted to meet them. I knew they have intelligence on par with us humans so I wanted to talk with them. I thirst for the knowledge of how they live. Do they not have any other source of food besides us humans? Were we considered delicacies to them? I simply wanted to know _that_ much.

So why did Aine have to be so stubborn and stop me from doing what I want? Call me as someone who lost their sanity but I hate to break it to them, I was never sane to begin with. "Aine, leave me be. This is my decision. This is my life. You don't have any reason to stop me from doing what I want the most."

His anger flared as he stared down at me. Roughly grabbing me by the elbow, I struggled to get out of his grip. For a guy who never works out, he has such a grip! "This is the last time, Zia! One more run away and I'll make sure you will never step outside ever again! Dragons rule the lands, you learned that in class! If we don't hide from them, we will simply be food!"

He's wrong! He's wrong! The way I see it, Aine just refused to learn more. "That's not true! In my heart, I believe that Dragons and humans can coexist! Why do we live in fear when, in fact, we have the capability to learn how to get along?! Dragons, Humans — what's the difference? We feel. We eat. We walk. We talk. We _know_."

I persisted but it wasn't enough to convince him or the crowd I gathered during my ramblings. Others simply glared at me and continued on their daily lives whereas Aine's hold tightened as he picked up his pace. "You may be a child but you know things beyond your age and yet," his voice shook with something I couldn't decipher.

"Why can't you just understand one simple thing?" Despite his earlier fury, he sounded so _weak_ , so _exhausted_. As if he had given up on something. "Dragons and humans will _never_ coexist. It's a fact that God couldn't interfere with. We are simply too different from them. They are beasts who kills _without_ mercy, beasts who simply think that we are no better than food."

He stopped, and faced me. His eyes were filled with despair that I couldn't comprehend. "Zia, give up on that thought. Humans will always live in fear of the Dragons." His hand loosen, and he went inside. I stood there in silence, contemplating his words. His words might have convinced others but my heart did not waver.

I believed that Dragons that rule and Humans that fear can live in harmony; and nothing can change what I believed in.

A few weeks after that, I decided to not cause anymore trouble for Aine because past that rough personality of his, deep down, he was simply doing what he though was right. I couldn't fault him for that. I was strolling along the village out of boredom, and ignored the glares that were thrown my way.

If they wanted to be childish, then so be it. Besides, what kind of adults were they when they decided to outcast the crazy little ten-years-old child? How could these people be so narrow-minded to begin with? Why couldn't they see the larger picture? Why was it difficult for them to comprehend that we do not need to live in fear forever?

"Zia." A voice called out to me. I beamed when I saw Aine waving me over. He was holding two loaves of bread and a few vegetables in his other. I didn't speak and simply grabbed the vegetables I could carry and walked side by side with him. "I apologize for scolding you like that a few weeks ago, Zia. I am the adult between us and yet, I failed to act like one."

I shrugged off his concern because they were unnecessary. I do see where his anger comes from and it was from the death of his whole family in the claws of a dragon. "It's okay," I reassured with a grin. "You were just worried and I was being immature." His smile gave me warmth and it made me all giddy as we reached his place. His house was the same as everyone else.

It was built using bamboo shoots and straws. Just as we laid down the stuff we were carrying, a deafening roar echoed in the mountain we lived in and sent countless shivers down my spine. It was a roar I wasn't ready for and looking at Aine, I was certain he wasn't as well. The temperature suddenly went down and white stuff - snow - entered from the open window.

I was frozen in place but trembled from fear. Not too long ago, I was eager to meet a dragon and now, I have the chance to personally meet one. So _why_ did my body decided to freeze right _here_ and _now_? The screams filled with terror invaded my hearing and those screams were bloody terrified. "-a! Zia! Snap out of it!" My cloudy gaze turned sharp as Aine snapped me out of my trance.

"We need to escape. _You_ need to escape. If you leave by the back door, there is a trail that will lead you into a cave not even the Dragons can find." With a shaking voice, I mustered up my capability of speech. "But... But what about you, Aine?" Even though the village was in peril, even though there is a chance that no one may survive this danger; **Aine smiled**.

"Listen, Zia," the warmth of his voice drowned me, and calmed my beating heart down. "I... I _know_ for a fact you still believe in the coexistence of us two species despite this situation. I've thought about it... and decided to give you my trust. I may not live long enough to see it but," his whole form quivered as he pulled me into an embrace. "I want you to be my eyes. I want you to make it into a reality."

I... I... what should I do? It took me but a few seconds to register that I was crying in his hold. "That's why... go and live for my sake, Zia Blayze." The roof of his house was lifted by a claw and with one last second of embrace, he pushed me out the back door. Something white and cold rained down from above and froze everything inside, including Aine.

The mist subsided and I saw... Aine turned into solid ice. The pressure or whatever it was, was too great and a crack formed on his forehead. This crack became bigger and bigger until it covered his entire frozen form and just... _shattered_. Aine _shattered_... just like that. Was it that easy to kill humans? Was it that easy for us to die?

Was I too delusional... and actually believed that we humans could coexist with them?

" _I... I know for a fact you still believe in the coexistence of us two species despite this situation. I've thought about it... and decided to give you my trust. I may not live long enough to see it but," his whole form quivered as he pulled me into an embrace. "I want you to be my eyes. I want you to make it into a reality_."

That's... That's right. Aine believed in my belief in that last moment. However, my feelings wouldn't calm down. Hot, angry tears streamed down my cheeks as I stood up from the dirt ground. A pair of icy blue orbs met with mine and something inside of me seemed to awaken. I felt my body burn hot, and yet, it didn't hurt.

A yell that came from my throat startled the ice dragon as swirls of flames entered my vision. Another scream escaped from my throat and I screams and screamed and screamed until my throat felt raw and dry. The flames went straight to the ice dragon and engulfed in an even bigger amount of those swirls of yellow, red and orange.

" **What is this flame?! How is it possible for a mere human to melt MY ice**?!" It wasn't enough. It wasn't enough! The flames became bigger and bigger and brighter and brighter than ever before until my flames engulfed the dragon itself. A dragon's roar shook the entire mountain but it was the least of my concern. Once the dragon turned into ash, I realized something.

No one survived aside from me.

This realization flickered another set of swirling flames. However, instead of a combination of yellow, red and orange, the flames I conjured this time were a combination of black and purple. They were the last thing I saw before the dark flames engulfed the entire mountain.

The next time I woke up, I woke up seeing a dragon covered in deep red scales.


	2. One

( **Unknown Time Period** )

 _Aine was an orphan who decided to become a teacher for children who lost their homes and parents from the Dragons. The children were nice enough but they were a bit rowdy with the exception of one certain girl. She was nice, yes, but she wasn't just a 'bit' rowdy. She was an absolute menace and a thorn on his side._

 _Zia Blayze. The girl that everyone in their village despised. She simply believed in the coexistence of Dragons and Humans. He didn't know what to think of it. Aine lost his parents to those creatures and taking care of a nine-year-old child who believed in that kind of thing... hurt him. He couldn't look at her right in the eye. He couldn't even force himself to do it._

 _That, well, he had only known the girl for a couple of weeks; maybe he could understand her next time? "I told you it would have been better if that child got eaten along with her parents." He halted to a stop as he heard an unpleasant conversation around the corner. Was it him or were those individuals actually believed in the foolishness they were saying?_

 _"I agree. That girl has only been a burden and annoyance to the village." Aine thought for a moment as he realized they were talking about Zia. "I'm just waiting until that girl gets eaten. It wouldn't be long; after all, she lives in the forest." He stiffened upon hearing that. The girl was living in such a dangerous place?! What were the villagers thinking?!_

 _Without a moment to waste, Aine sprinted in the direction of the forest, and ignored the warnings thrown his way. No matter how crazy and unruly a child is, they do not have any excuse to let them live in constant danger! Aine's eyes darted around to search for the little girl. He panted after a few moments of searching. There was no dragon in sight for the last few days so she should be alright._

 _The man just couldn't believe how heartless those people were. They were alright killing off a child in the claws of a dragon but they weren't okay when they were in the brink of death as they face a dragon? How twisted could their minds be? "Aine," a soft, high-pitched voice from above startled him. "What are you doing here?" Glancing above him, he almost had a heart attack when he saw Zia perched on the highest branch._

 _"That's... That's dangerous. Get down from there, Zia!" The girl simply gazed down at him with a curious expression. "Why? Is it dangerous to climb up a tree?" Aine wanted groan in frustration with how innocent she looked but it wasn't the time. "Climbing up a tree? No. Climbing up that high? Yes! Now, get down, Zia!" Aine and Zia stared at each other, the former getting impatient with her. Why couldn't she just follow what he said at face value?_

 _His heart almost jumped out of his throat when the girl fell. The girl fell. "Zia!" He quickly ran under her and held out his arms. The force of her falling made him lose balance as he lied on his back. The girl safely tucked in his arms. "Don't... Don't do something so terrifying next time..." He felt her move in his arms, and sat down on his stomach. "You didn't have to catch me, Aine. I can land safely myself."_

 _Aine glared at her but vanished as soon as it appeared. He was too tired to argue with her._

 _The nineteen-year-old boy forced the girl to take a bath in his home and fed her. Looking at her this close, he could see how worn-out her clothes were, and how thin she was from the lack of food. Just what kind of condition is she living in? "Zia," he called out softly. "What do you eat in the forest?" She remained silent and he couldn't fault her for that. "I mostly eat berries. Nothing else. I can't carry the guilt of directly killing an animal."_

 _He was never one to leave a child alone, and with just her appearance, Aine knew what he has to do. He whipped up a simple salad and prepared a few slices of bread for the girl. If she didn't like to eat meat, then, at least, he could provide her healthier food to eat other than berries. When it was ready, Aine could barely contain the smile from his face._

 _She completely devoured everything on the plate once he insisted that they were for her._

 _After that day, the nine-year-old girl lived with him, and he refused to let her go back into the forest. At least, this way, she would be able to live comfortably and not in constant danger. The thought put Aine at ease. He hated to admit it, but Zia reminds him of himself when he was her age._

( **A few hundred years before Canon** )

What... What is this?

"I see the flames of Ashkenaz finally died out." A deep, gruff voice echoed in my head but the creature in front of me never opened its jaw. Was it even possible for a creature like him to have some sort of telepathy? "Ash... Ahskenaz? What are the flames of Ashkenaz?" When I saw a glimpse of red scales outside of my tunnel vision, I suddenly realized what I was talking to.

I jolted up from my position as if I was shocked by a small amount of electricity. The creature did not move, and I, for whatever reason, was grateful. He didn't seem to be similar to the ice dragon that... my village... I raised to my feet but my body felt as if I haven't moved for years. A single claw caught me before I fell. I was disoriented, and absolutely confused. Everything... felt so wrong.

"Calm down, child," he gruffly - or was it just the way he speak - said. "I will explain everything to you but will you be willing to come with me?" Like I've mentioned before, I was disoriented and confused but why did I willingly agree to his words? When he picked me up with his claw, I suddenly became aware of my surroundings. When he flapped his wings and flew up, I saw the entire mountain.

It was charred black.

"What... What happened? I thought... I thought an ice dragon invaded my village?!" I never raised my voice, but this is the first time. "I will explain later, child." He flew away from the mountain, and the first thing I realized as we left was that the air smells different. It wasn't as pure as it was before. It was tainted with some scent I couldn't recognize. I didn't know how long we flew but it did make me bored.

Soon, the dragon landed in a forest filled with life, and gently placed me down on a rock. The red dragon rested his head on his claws and with how high up I was, I was eye-to-eye level with him. "Who... Who are you?" I questioned him. He didn't give the same terrifying vibe like the ice dragon. Instead, he felt warm and comforting. "I am Igneel, a fire dragon. And you, child?"

I remained silent, but spoke up a few minutes later. "Zia Blayze. I'm Zia Blayze; it's nice to meet you, Igneel." A low grumble came from his throat. At first, I thought he was going to spit out fire before I realized he was chuckling at me. I pouted. "What is there to laugh about? I'm certain I didn't say anything hilarious." He softly shook his head.

"Let us leave that matter for now. I wish to discuss with you about your flames." At his question, I gave him a questioning look. "My flames? What flames?"

"Do you not remember, child?" I shook my head. In all honestly, I could even start to comprehend that I'm actually talking to a dragon and he's not even trying to eat me. "What do you remember last?" I looked down. It was all vividly clear in my head. The ice dragon had completely frozen Aine, and he shattered to millions of ice shards. After that, I... After that, what happened?

My confusion must have been clear on my face because Igneel asked me to do the impossible. "Child, stay still and tell me if this fire burns you." It took me but a few seconds to register what he just said but before I can speak up; he blew a breath of fire at me. A shriek escaped my throat, and closed my eyes. I prepared for the burning sensation to come but it never did. When I opened my eyes, I was on fire... literally.

Before I can freak out, Igneel muttered, "It seems Ashkenaz gave you immunity to flames." Like a child in a class, I raised a hand. "Who's this Ashkenaz, Igneel?"

He and I made eye contact as he explained and indulged me with information. "Ashkenaz is the father of fire that spreads. It is the simplest description of him. However, Ashkenaz does not only wield fire, he IS fire. He is greater than the God of Fire, and forever will be greater than all. Ashkenaz' flames are legendary in history and a few hundred years ago, its first wielder appeared."

I was so absorbed into his story that I didn't notice the sad look in his eyes. "His flames were only identified when not even a water dragon or an ice dragon could put out the flames; not even a fire dragon such as myself could eat it willingly without the caster's permission. It took a few hundred years before they died out, and the destruction it left behind was disastrous. Not a single life was left alone. The entire mountain was charred black."

The entire mountain was charred black.

That sentence alone was enough to snap me out of my reverie. Charred black, like the mountain where my village resided in. A few hundred years ago... charred black... everything came crashing down on me like cold water. "When all the flames died down, I found you." He found me... in that charred mountain... like in the story he told me.

"Child, do not hold it in."

Everything happened a few hundred years ago. I'm only ten-years-old. How is that possible? I cannot be the caster of Ashkenaz' flames. Igneel must have mistaken me for that person. Yes... that's right. It was just a mistake- "Child! Snap out of it!" My clouded vision cleared up and I realized that I was surrounded with Igneel's flames.

No, it was different. It was different from Igneel's flames. These flames were purer than his. Were these... Ashkenaz' flames? My hands trembled. I don't know what to do. What do I do with this?! My breaths became fast and shallow and even though I could see Igneel's jaw moving, I couldn't hear a thing.

Out of my peripheral, I noticed a black orb coming my way. Instinctively, I ordered my flames to incinerate whatever it was. Thanks to that, I managed to calm myself down and realize I could actually control this power. "Igneel, is she the rumored caster? The person who got ahold of Ashkenaz' power?" Out of the woods, a black haired man came out.

Igneel glanced at him before his gaze flickered back to me. "Child," I had no choice but to look at him when he spoke. "Those flames are yours. They are a part of you. They are connected to your soul. They will not harm anyone or anything as long as you will them not to. Do you understand?" My form was still shaking but I mustered up the courage to speak.

"Vaguely, I understand. How... How come I was granted with this?" It was not Igneel who answered but the mysterious man who appeared. "Ashkenaz had deemed you worthy as his vessel. However," his tone was filled with dread as he continued. "Wielding something as powerful as your magic comes with a great price." I gulped as the flames died down around me.

"A great price?"

He nodded at my question. "You bear the Curse of Misfortune. When your magic manifested hundreds of years ago, the Curse of Misfortune activated as well." Misfortune... I have the Curse of Misfortune... was that the reason why that ice dragon arrived and attacked my village?

I was the reason why Aine died?

oooOooo

A few weeks have passed and I was still in denial. It was difficult to accept the death of Aine. For me, it had only been a couple of weeks but for the others, it had already been a couple of hundred years since that incident. Then again, no one survived aside from me. I had asked Igneel why I was still alive when that many years had passed.

He answered that thanks to the flames of Ashkenaz, I retained my life and did not age. How, I didn't know. Then, there's the fact that this man, who was maybe around seventeen, kept visiting Igneel and me. The fire dragon didn't mind but I was a bit puzzled when he kept his distance of a few yards from us. I never questioned him and I knew he was thankful.

"Zia, have you grasped a way to control your flames?" I could barely hear him but thanks to my somewhat sharp senses, I was able to make out what he said. "My progress is slow but there is improvement. Also, it seems the flames of Ashkenaz varies." He gave me a curious look and urged me to explain further. "From what I remember before my slumber, I was able to manifest the flames similar to Igneel."

Igneel's ears perked up. "But the flames that engulfed the mountain was black."

"That is correct," I confirmed with a nod. "That's why it came to me, what if there were variances of Ashkenaz' flames? And there is. These flames are fueled by emotions. The stronger I feel, the hotter and more effective they are. It must have been the reason why the flames that engulfed the mountain lasted for several hundreds of years."

The man hummed in deep thought while Igneel grumbled. "Too much information. As long as it burns, that's all that matters." I chuckled at the dragon's words. "You know, for a brat your age, you're wiser than most." I crossed my arms over my non-existent chest. "Since when was I brat to you, Igneel?"

"Since you refused to eat meat. Meats are delicious. I don't see the reason why you're so opposed to eating it. You're a picky eater. Thus, a brat."

"That doesn't even make sense." I argued back. The raven haired teen chuckled but stopped altogether. Igneel and I stopped bickering to see what was wrong. "I... I must go." I frowned, and was about to call him back when a scream escaped through his parted lips. "No! No! Stop!" Darkness surrounded him and this darkness became a wave. It killed the life in its path and it was heading straight for Igneel and me.

"Ashkenaz: Flames of Purity!" White flames erupted around me and burned the dark wave. It took a few moments, but everything finally settled down. I descended from the boulder and sprinted to his side. He was lying in the forest floor, a pained expression painted on his face. I frowned as I picked him up. It was a struggle since he was bigger than me but I finally placed him beside Igneel.

"What was that?" I asked the dragon. "The Curse of Contradiction." My ears perked up at the word curse. "The more he values life, the more he kills. As long as he doesn't value life, that kind of incident wouldn't happen again." Not value life? From what I've seen, this person loved life the most. He hasn't shown it but I just knew. This Curse must be killing him.

A jolt of pain suddenly came from my heart, and I coughed. I covered my mouth but I felt something sticky and tasted something irony. I looked at my hand and found it covered in blood. A dry chuckle escaped my throat. "I really, really despise these curses right now."


	3. Two

"Child! Get back here!"

Igneel ascended from the ground, his dragon wings creating strong gusts of wind. Below, I was certain that mister was watching us in amusement as the red dragon chased after me. Why was he chasing after me? It was simple. I placed a crown of flowers on top of his head. But why would he be so worked up about it? The flowers I used suited him.

Then again, Igneel was a dragon with an overly huge pride. If other Dragons were to see this sight of him, I'm certain he'll be teased to no end. So, it was probably that reason why he was chasing after me. I heard a roar not to far from me and I must admit, hearing a dragon like Igneel be distressed like that amused me. I landed on top of a tree, and waited for the fire dragon to catch up.

"Why so annoyed, Igneel? Those flowers really do suite you." He landed and made the earth shook. He stood tall and proud, his head raised. He and I looked at each other. I supposed I did go a little bit overboard. Igneel was a feared dragon and if any one of them saw him like this, his reputation would plummet to rock bottom. He simply sent me a stern gaze before he picked me up.

I did not give a struggle as he gently placed me down where we had been staying these past few weeks. "That was a bit mean, dear friend. Zia was only having a little bit of fun." Giving him a childish grin, I glanced at Igneel to see his reaction. His jaw was tensed, and he was staring down at me with a narrowed gaze. "Fun, that was fun? That was humiliating!" The was he roared and the way he said that made me giggle.

Igneel was fun to be with.

"Zia," mister called out gently. "Any progress?" I frowned since there was none. I felt Igneel's eyes on me as I contemplate my next move. "I thought that it would be simple to grasp the concept of Ashkenaz' flames, but it seems I was wrong." At first, it was easy to understand how my flames work but as I continue to hone it, I discovered I was wrong to jump into conclusion so easily.

"Yes, it is linked to my emotions as I've mentioned before. However, it seems that it doesn't have to be a strong emotion. As long as I feel that way, I will be able to wield a different kind of flame." I explained with a thoughtful expression. "Then, if it was that simple, how come you haven't mastered it?" I huffed at Igneel's haughty and smug tone. He was obviously mocking me since fire was his domain.

"It isn't as simple as that. The flames are harder to control and assuming that I must feel different kind of emotion just to conjure the flames that I need; wouldn't it be difficult to do so? A human can feel so many and what would happen if I was overwhelmed? Different emotions would fill me and what would happen to my flames? I must learn to filter unnecessary feelings or, at least, learn to stay rational in every situation."

I glance at mister to ask for his opinion but he merely shook his head. "This is my first time meeting someone wielding the flames of Ashkenaz. I'm afraid I would not be of help, Zia." It made me frown but it wasn't his fault. This power - magic - that I received a couple of hundreds of years ago was a foreign magic to the people of this era. "It's okay. It wasn't like I was expecting a definite answer from someone."

I glanced at mister, then flickered my gaze to Igneel. "But having you two by my side is enough help as it is." The red dragon gave me a toothy grin whereas mister... was sobbing. The hair at the back of my neck stood up and a shiver ran down my spine as dark energy surrounded mister. Instinctively, white flames erupted just in time to burn the dark energy mister emitted. I watched in gruesome fascination.

How could my flames burn energy? It was an interesting question to answer as I watched the smallest of dark energy to be consumed by my flames. A couple of seconds later, there was not even a trace of a single dark energy in the surrounding. "My... My apologies, Zia, Igneel. I did not mean to let that happen." And as usual, Igneel and I waved it off. It wasn't like he could control it, could he?

And just like last time, I felt an irritation in my throat. My breath became short and shallow as I coughed haphazardly. The tightness in my chest had hurt but no sooner than it appeared, the pain vanished. Fortunately, I didn't cough up blood this time. "Zia... I truly am sorry." I shook my head at his words. This was the fault of my curse, not him. "As I've said before, it's fine. My condition is only because of my curse, not yours so please do not blame yourself."

Giving him a sharp gaze, I gently rubbed my throat as I leaned against the boulder. "The Curse of Misfortune is just like it's called. I'm cursed to be misfortuned - to be unlucky - for the years I would walk on Earthland. No matter how you look at it, you did not cause this. It's the price I have to face in exchange for the power I received, isn't it?"

The surprised look on his face was enough for me to calm down and lean against the boulder. I could feel rumbling and knew that it was Igneel chuckling in amusement. "Zia." I hummed in acknowledgement. "Why are you not afraid?" The question startled me, and stared at him. "You have seen that I could easily take the lives of everything around me. Why do you stay?"

I seriously contemplated his question. Why do I stay? Why am I not afraid when he could take lives with ease? My instinct would have told me to run away when I had the chance the first time, and yet, why didn't it? There could be hundreds of answers but I already concluded what I wanted to say. "That's a stupid question." He stuttered incoherent things whereas Igneel roared in laughter.

"It's simple, isn't it? You're lonely."

Beaming at him must have embarrassed him because he looked away. "Mister, it's been bothering me but what's your name?" A flash of panic crossed his features but after a few seconds, he schooled his expression into calmness. "It's Zeref, Zia." I was delighted to know his name, and I could finally call him by it. "Brother Zeref!" His expression of surprise went unnoticed by me since I was pleased at that moment.

oooOooo

It has been a few months since Brother Zeref left to do something and I was getting bored with just Igneel and me. What could a puny human and an overly huge lizard do together? "Igneel, where's Brother Zeref?" The red dragon grumbled and shook the earth slightly, and opened an eye to look at me. "Don't ask me, brat. It's not like I know what he does in his spare time. Now, go and have your afternoon nap. You're never going to grow like that."

Igneel fell asleep once again, leaving me annoyed and pouting. I've been wondering, actually. How far are we from civilization? Although, the atmosphere here had been purer than when Igneel found me in my... village. Could the taint in the atmosphere be the fault of us humans? Were we the ones responsible for dirtying the air? It made me frown.

Sure, I was glad I could breathe in fresh air but what about the others who prefer this kind of scent rather than the tainted one? How could they live everyday knowing they were tainting the air? "Zia? Igneel?" I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard brother's voice. I perked up from leaning against Igneel, and what - or rather, who - was with Brother Zeref bewildered not only me but also Igneel, who woke up from his light slumber.

He and I were silent as brother approached us, placing the child he was carrying gently in front of us. The child couldn't be older than six, and what intrigued me the most was his unusual salmon pink locks. "Would the two of you please take care of Natsu?" When we said nothing, brother's expression faltered. "Where are you going, Brother Zeref?" Even when he said nothing, I knew he had intentions of leaving.

"I must leave today, Zia."

My chest constricted with his words but I faked a smile, and I knew Igneel was burning holes at the back of my head. "I understand, I would not ask further questions, Brother Zeref." He stopped, and remained silent. He looked as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself from uttering those words. "I'm sorry for leaving, Zia but I am certain that fate has its strange way to let us meet up once more."

I pouted. "How long will that be? As I bear the Curse of Misfortune, I wouldn't be surprised if our meeting will be held back by a few hundred years." I chuckled humorlessly as I heard Igneel stand behind me. "And I wouldn't be alive for that long, would I?" Igneel and I watched him walk away, and I felt a pang in my chest. I watched his figure vanish into the forest as my knees buckled in.

"Child," I heard Igneel's gruff voice in my head. But before he could continue, I interrupted him. "It's okay. Ever since I learned that I bear this curse, I've tried to mentally prepare myself for things to come. Igneel," I stopped, took a deep breath and looked at him. "I'm a mortal. I cannot live that long. I've already grasp the things this curse will bring me and I, for one, am certain that brother and me would never meet a few hundred years for now."

I was surprised when Igneel picked me up and placed me on his snout as I grabbed his horn. "Then, why don't you take care of Natsu for the time being?" I stuttered in bewilderment. "Take care? Aren't you aware just how old I am? I can't take care of a child! I'm just a kid myself, Igneel!" He suddenly roared in laughter, making me stumble as I gripped onto his horn securely. "Then I, the one and only Igneel, will show you how!"

A shiver ran down my spine and it made me wonder just how he was going to take care of the child called Natsu.

oooOooo

A few weeks later, I learned something new and valuable. Natsu Dragneel was more menacing than I was. And I was being generous because if there were two of me, then Natsu was triple of that. I don't even understand what I'm saying anymore. "Sis! Sis! Look what I found!" A pair of slit eyes met me, and a sharp shriek escaped my throat as I fell on my back.

"Isn't it cool?! Oh, um, are you okay, sis?" I groaned while I ignored Igneel who was roaring in laughter. "It's... It's cool, Natsu. And I'm alright, just startled." I sent a wary look at the snake as discreetly as I could to not upset Natsu. "Sis, don't you like 'im?" Raising to my feet, I ruffled Natsu's pink locks as he giggled. "I do like him, just avoid surprising me, okay, Natsu?"

"Okay!"

I watched him ran around the field we were in. Igneel had brought us here this morning to play, whereas that stupid dragon relaxed under the soft sunlight, I was the one taking care of this little menace called Natsu. "I'm gonna name 'im Snakey cuz' you know, he's Snakey!" I brought a hand to my lips, and tried to restrain my laughter. Natsu Logic was completely hilarious. "Welcome to the family then, Snakey!"

Natsu and I spent the rest of the afternoon fooling around, and asked - bothered - Igneel with countless of questions about certain things we didn't know. It was fun, actually. Because of us, Igneel barely had time to relax in this field. When the sun was about to set, Igneel had suddenly picked us up and ascended. A squeal escaped Natsu's throat while I remained calm. The red dragon had done this to me various time already and caused me to get used to it.

Rumble came from the dragon's throat and it only meant one thing; he was laughing at Natsu's reaction. "It wasn't funny!" Although, hearing a boy squeal like a little girl was quite amusing, it doesn't change the fact that it was quite rude. Then again, we were talking about Igneel. Nothing makes sense when it's Igneel.

When the sun had already set and Igneel had prepared dinner, the both of us perked up upon hearing an explosion a distance away from where we were. He and I exchanged glances before settling on Natsu. "Hey, what was that boom, sis?" I sent Igneel a wary glance but when he have me a look, I sighed. "Sis will check on it. You stay with Igneel." The salmon haired child gave me toothy grin and a thumbs up, making me mentally coo at his cuteness.

"'kay! Just get back fast. Igneel and me will probably eat up everything!" His words made me groan in realization. Natsu was right. Standing up, I gave Natsu's hair a ruffle and jumped on top of the trees while chuckling as I hear Natsu's whining. It didn't take me too long to reach where the commotion was. The sight that greeted me, however, wasn't easy to take in.

There were people. And they weren't harmless people either. There was so many of them and almost each and every one of these people was carrying a weapon. The explosion earlier seemed to be caused by a small scaled bomb. They had used it to remove a boulder blocking a cave. Although, none of them entered it, they had made camp in front of the cave, blocking the path to its entrance.

It didn't take me too long to know what their intentions were. They were probably treasure hunters that Igneel told me about. According to Igneel, treasure hunting was a job that could barely get income. After all, treasures in this world were still being guarded by powerful beings and these people only has man-made weapons to protect themselves. Magic was scarce yet still.

They're probably here in search for treasure inside that cave. I remembered Natsu's words concerning dinner, but it seemed it has to wait for now. I have to watch over these foolish hunters, and make sure they do not get too close to my family. I made myself comfortable on a high tree branch where I was certain none of these strangers could see me.

I waited for a few hours before I realized they were making their move. It didn't cross my mind that I neglected to inform Igneel of my plans. "The time has come!" I frowned. They were being too loud and I wanted to deal with this without disturbing Natsu. "Inside this cave, a certain magical item will help us learn magic as well! With this, we will conquer!" His words piqued my interest. His minions cheered, irritating me to no end.

Igneel, with no doubt, would hear this noise. "Let's go!" I watched them enter the cave that leads underground. I waited until the last of them entered before I followed them down the cave. It was very dark but the light from their torches a few feet away from me was enough to see a little bit in front of me. Minutes had already passed by and we reached the half hour mark but we kept going down.

The scent suddenly changed. Instead of fresh air, I caught a whiff of something burning. I perked up when I saw light ahead, and it didn't seem to come from their torches. Once I peered around the corner, the sight bewildered me. There were flames burning... underground. And it looked like it had been burning for a long time. What's more intriguing was how it wasn't hot, at all.

In the middle of the fire, however, laid a beautiful flute. A shining Ruby was embedded on the tenon. It was a simple silver flute and yet, it mesmerized me. From the moment I was born, I wasn't able to indulge myself in things I wanted. The hunters tried to put out the fire but their efforts did not bear fruit. The water did nothing to the fire. When their leader tried to get past, the flame burned him. I scoffed. How foolish was he?

"Damn it! How are we supposed to get that?!" I waited, and waited but whatever they did was futile. It was pointless, and I didn't even know why I followed them down here in the first place. However, his next words made me stop to a halt. "Tch. It looks like this one is far out of our reach. We'll come back for this one later. We'll just have to go into the forest. I heard rumors that the Black Wizard Zeref left a treasure there."

Anger bubbled up inside of me, and I had been blocking the way out and as such, the treasure hunters found me. "What the— what's a brat doing here?" There were murmurs behind me, and I only found that it annoyed me to end. "Hey, you lost or something?" Deep down, they were nice people but the moment I turned around, I could see the darkness in their eyes. The eyes that had seen death. The eyes that had killed.

Half an hour later, I came out of the cave that slowly crumbled and be engulfed in the flames of anger. The pure red flames that erupted from below would surely catch Igneel's attention but he wouldn't do anything. He knew the meaning of those flames. In my hands was the flute they couldn't get and to my surprise, the flames that protected this item belonged to Ashkenaz.

"Ah, this might be a bit lucky but having to take those lives surely was a misfortune."

( **Author's Note** )

 _Hey guys. First of all, thanks for trying this fanfic out. Second, about the pairings; I'm a bit obsessed with the Twin Dragon Slayers so yeah, you know where I'm going. Lastly, what do you think of Flames? And Zia?_


	4. Three

"Hmph!"

I facepalmed as Natsu turned away, an adorable pout on his lips. Behind us, I could swear Igneel was watching this like some sort of entertainment. When I took a step forward, Natsu would advance a step as well. My eyebrow twitched in annoyance. I knew Natsu could be frustrating when he's sulking but this... this just took the cake. Natsu was going to earn my ire if he keeps up that act.

"Natsu," I called out in a tight voice. "Why are you sulking?" It hasn't even been a day since my encounter with the hunters and it was currently early morning when I woke up to find Natsu pouting at me. I don't understand why he was even acting this way. I just woke up, and found him sulking. I asked Igneel but he refused to inform me. "Did I do something wrong? Do you hate sis, Natsu?"

Startled, he turned around with teary eyes. "I... I don't hate sis! It's just... I thought sis... left us..." His grief-stricken and tearful expression broke my heart. The moment tears dripped down his cheeks, I knew I had done something unforgiving. "Sis disappeared last night and didn't come back. I stayed up but the old man forced me to sleep." His obsidian orbs pierced right through me, a wave of guilt drowning me.

My feet moved on its own, my arms enveloped the sobbing boy in my arms. It was my fault why he was crying. I scared him, and made him think I left him and Igneel unintentionally. Running my fingers through his pink locks, comforting words escaped my lips as I embraced him. "I apologize, Natsu. I didn't mean to scare you like that. I'm sorry if my selfish actions caused you immense worry."

I knew he didn't understand half of what I said but I'm pretty certain he got the gist when he hugged back tightly. "Foolish brat," I heard Igneel say. "Next time, tell us where you're going." I nodded gently, and sat on the ground with Natsu still in my arms. For once, I hated myself for being such a reckless person. Because of my reckless, Natsu - and probably Igneel - feared that I had left them.

I couldn't leave them. They're my family now. I'm sure... I'm sure that Aine... that Aine would have scolded me for doing something dangerous. I'm sure that... Aine would have grounded me because of my selfish actions. Natsu and Igneel... they're the only ones I considered family aside from Brother Zeref and Aine. I would protect them, but I wouldn't die in the process.

After all, wouldn't that just bring more grief?

oooOooo

After that day, Natsu refused to let me go by myself in the forest. Aside from bathing in the nearby river and doing some personal business, he was with me every second of the day. And when Igneel was teaching him magic, I would sometimes wonder why the dragon would glance at my direction with a thoughtful expression. I found out not long after I wondered about that.

"Zia." Igneel called out while Natsu was trying to perform a dragon's talon. "Yes, Igneel?" I questioned after laughing at Natsu's cute, failed attempt. "Can you control your magic yet?" I frowned, and shook my head. No matter what I do, I just couldn't control the flames of Ashkenaz. The time I burned those foolish treasure hunters alive was a mere coincidence. Igneel was deep in thought when he suddenly grinned.

Confused, I was about to inquire about his sudden change of expression when he suddenly engulfed me with a dragon's breath. The flames did little damage but it did burned my clothes. Horrified, I dispersed his flames quickly in obvious distress. Thankfully, my clothes remained in tact, if not a little burnt. What was he thinking?! Don't tell me this red dragon was a pervert all along?!

"Oh don't give me that look, brat!" I blanched at his smoking nose before I chuckled nervously.

"You're going to learn Dragon Slayer Magic alongside Natsu." I was stunned by his words, and stuttered out incoherent things that made me look foolish. "What do you mean?!" The red dragon sat down and lowered his head. "Using that magic alone will someday be the cause of your downfall. For as long as you haven't mastered your first magic, you need to have something to defend you."

His words made sense but what I couldn't understand was, "You've mentioned to Brother Zeref before but learning this magic will result to the user turning into a dragon themselves." I lowered down my voice, and made sure Natsu wouldn't hear a single word from me. His eyes widened and his breath hitched to a stop. "But you know how to counter this, don't you? But it only works once... well, that was what I concluded in that vague explanation of yours from before."

"Igneel! Sis! Look! Look! It's little but I did it!" He showed us a little fire burning on his feet. Igneel playfully scoffed and taunted, "You call that a dragon's talon?" Natsu scowled in response. "Hmph! Just you wait!" With that, he returned back to his training. Igneel glanced at me thoughtfully whereas I sighed in exhaustion. "He knows I'm going to teach you. That's why while he's travelling, he's looking for a cure for you."

My ears perked up at this. "You mean... Brother Zeref?"

He gave me a toothy grin and nodded. "How about it?" I contemplated on this, weighing the pros and cons. Then again, Igneel spoke of the truth. As long as I haven't mastered Ashkenaz' flames, I have no means of protecting myself. I would be easy prey to all kinds of predators. Sighing in defeat, I reluctantly I agreed to learn Dragon Slayer Magic.

"Well, first off, we need your body to be in tune with the magic. Dragon lungs to breathe out fire is the only thing you lack. You're already immune to flames. As you learn this magic, you'll automatically adapt to eating flames." The words flew out of his mouth with ease as if he practice this a lot of times in the past. Noticing the lack of deep words, I think he said almost the same thing to Natsu. I warily smiled.

I don't like that glint in Igneel's eyes.

It never crossed my mind how much of a sadist Igneel can be. Unlike with Natsu, the fire dragon didn't go easy on me and worked me to my limits. There were times when I would just collapse so suddenly during a training session that the last time I did, it horrified Natsu. After being scolded by the young boy, the so-called one and only Igneel suffered a huge blow to his ego.

It was fun to watch, honestly. Who wouldn't find a young boy scolding an oversized lizard hilarious? Certainly not me, that's for sure. After that little blow to his ego, Igneel went a little bit easy on me since he didn't want to get a scolding from the salmon pink-haired boy again. The first time was already humiliating and if there was a second time, I'm certain Igneel wouldn't dare show his face to his dragon friends - if he even has any.

A year has passed since I lived with Igneel and the day of my birth was approaching. Come to think of it, Brother Zeref never mentioned when Natsu was born. The next day, on August 8, was my birthday. I didn't bother telling Igneel, since if I remember correctly, I only mentioned it once and I don't really bother celebrating. However, much to my surprise, the moment I woke up that day; I received a surprise of my life.

"Happy birthday, brat."

"Happy birthday, sis!"

I was staring at them with a dumbfounded expression. Natsu suddenly tackled me to the ground, with his arms wrapped around my neck. A chuckle came from my throat as I sat back down. A shadow loomed over the both of us and Igneel dropped something over my head. It was a white shawl with what seemed like dragon scales. "A gift... for the little princess." I playfully scoffed at his teasing tone whereas Natsu suddenly pulled away.

"That's right! Sis is the princess while Igneel and me are the dragons just like in those princess-y stories! And there's no way I'm gonna let anyone take my sis!" My heart warmed with his words. Natsu really was an adorable little kid. A thought suddenly popped up inside my head. "Natsu doesn't really have an official birthday, does he?" I looked at his eyes and beamed. "Why don't we share my birthday, Natsu?"

He was silent for a few moments and it made me thought that what I said was a bad thing, but when he suddenly jumped around, it seemed that wasn't the case. "Yey! Me and sis have the same birthday! Where's my present, Igneel? Where? Where?! WHERE?!" I stifled my laughter when he climbed Igneel's back while yelling his question. I felt a rumble and knew that the dragon was getting annoyed.

Then again, I liked seeing Igneel suffer like he does with me. I roared in laughter when Natsu had to hang by his shorts and struggled on Igneel's horn. It wasn't the best but it was certainly memorable.

oooOooo

Time seemed to fly by as half a year passed. I was slowly getting used to wielding Dragon Slayer Magic but I didn't forget to practice the flames of Ashkenaz. It was going to take a lot of work to even properly utilize those flames but I wasn't complaining. I was bestowed with these power and am already suffering the consequences. Last month, a similar incident like last time had occurred.

A group of treasure hunters had wandered into the forest. I made sure to inform Igneel of this, and with a great deal of hesitance, gave me permission to take care of it while he takes care of Natsu. Like before, I trailed after them for a few hours and finally learned their intentions. Apparently, there was dragon sightings in this area - and I was a hundred percent sure it was Igneel who was goofing around - and dubiously claimed that if there was a dragon, it was protecting some precious relic.

It was filled with stupidity and I wasn't so surprised when it came from dunderheads. Just because there was a dragon, it doesn't mean it was protecting something valuable. Were their skulls so thick they couldn't even think that maybe the dragon was relaxing?

After learning their motive, I used Ashkenaz' highly uncontrollable flames to burn those fools alive. Uncontrollable they may be, these flames only burn flesh and bones. That's why the forest didn't catch on fire despite the highly destructive flames I summoned. I watched them burn in gruesome fascination, and wondered since when was I okay with killing others. Since when did I think of killing?

It unnerved me when I couldn't answer my own question.

The next morning, Natsu slapped me awake. "Sis! There's something in the forest! And Igneel's away!" A groan escaped my lips as I glowered at Natsu. "What's with the slap? You didn't have to do that." Natsu sheepishly smiled but upon remembering our crisis, he hid behind me. An unfamiliar scent reached my nose. Alarmed, I held onto Natsu's arm and shielded him away from where I know the danger was coming from.

Out of the bushes, a large wolf jumped out. And when I said large, it was probably an understatement because it easily towered over me. It menacingly growled at us, and I noticed its thin state. It was probably hungry and found us by chance. It was really lucky because Igneel wasn't here and we were extremely unlucky since it was us it found.

"Sis, let's fight it!" Instead of something fearful, I facepalmed when Natsu suggested we fight it. "Natsu, that's not going to solve—!" I quickly picked him up and jumped away when the wolf suddenly pounced on us. Natsu's squeal of delight stupefied me. We were in danger, and yet, he was having fun since we were 'fighting' it? Something's definitely wrong with his head!

"Punch it, sis!"

I don't know if I was going to admire Natsu's bravery or grimace at his inability to read our situation. Then again, I have to thank Igneel for teaching me Dragon Slayer Magic. At least, I have a chance to protect us without toasting that wolf in front of Natsu. With the boy still clinging on my back, I took a deep breath and out came a pillar of regular flames from my mouth.

It was rather anticlimatic when the flames died down, the wolf's fur was gone. Realizing this, it ran off with its naked tail between its legs. We watched it ran off with a disappointed expression. Actually, I was getting hyped up about fighting it. "Oh man! It ran off! But! But you were awesome, sis!" I warily smiled. Natsu's mood swings always exhausted me.

I ruffled his hair. "Yeah, I guess I was."

I can't take this anymore. I would someday, for certain, collapse from overexerting myself.

oooOooo

( **Author's Note** )

 _What do you think?_

 _I don't really like putting author's note so yeah._


	5. Four

"Igneel, where's sis?"

Natsu asked for what seemed like the thousandth time that morning. He was persistent, like he usually was but this time, he has a good enough reason to be. His obsidian — but he called it onyx instead, it sounds cooler that way — eyes bored into Igneel's half-lidded ones. The young boy frowned when his father ignored him. "Where's sis, Igneel?"

His sissy told him that she would only be gone for a couple of days but it has been weeks! Where was she? Nothing could have happened to her because she's the strongest person he knows. No one can beat her! Natsu had waited as patiently as he could, and he wasn't a patient person to begin with so it was some sort of accomplishment that he can't wait to brag about to his sister. But she was not there.

He had asked Igneel the moment he woke up, but his father was adamant about being quiet. He was worried, and a little bit scared. "C'mon, Igneel! Why can't ya tell me where sis is?! She's been gone for weeks 'n' what if something happened to her?" But he can be stubborn just like Igneel. It was only a matter of time before his father gives in. He huffed, sat down and stubbornly glared at him.

He wouldn't move until Igneel tells him or until his sis arrives. His thoughts wandered back to his sis. She was a weird person. She always used those stupid big words that he couldn't even understand! And half the time, he has no idea what she talks about. But Natsu didn't care. He liked how weird his sis is. It made her more... special and... unique. His oldest memories were that of a year ago.

According to his old man, his parents died during an attack and he was found by Zia. His sis brought him back to this field and asked Igneel if he could stay with them. To his surprise, Igneel didn't want anything to do with him at first but his sis was just as stubborn. In the end, Igneel relented and even officially adopted him. If it weren't for his sis, he wouldn't even have a family.

For the past few months, Natsu could say that he was content with his life. He has a family to love and to protect and he wouldn't exchange them for anything. But... his sis was starting to act _weirder_. She was weird, but she was even weirder these past few weeks. She would talk to herself under that dead tree, and would ignite a tiny ball of different colored flames from her finger sometimes.

It was weird that he could only make one colored flames but he didn't ask. She would occasionally disappear at random times whenever he wasn't clinging onto her and it annoyed him. She would come back at different intervals and whenever he asked where she went off to, she would say, "It's not something you need to know for now, Natsu." He would always pout but she would never give an answer.

"Oh, I didn't think you would be awake at this hour, Natsu." His ears perked up, and as he grinned, embraced his sister tightly around the waist. "Sis! Where have you been?" But he received the same answer as always but she added a, "... you'll know when you're older." Pouting, he felt a rumble and knew his old man was laughing at him. Flustered, he threw a playful glare his way. "It's _not_ funny, old man!"

There was silence but suddenly, the three of them erupted into laughter. Natsu, as he looked at their laughing faces, knew he didn't want any of these to change.

The next couple of years was the same. His sissy would disappear off to every now and then but she would always come back with a schedule now so he wouldn't endlessly worry about her anymore. Their shared birthday was always the most fun day of the year and Igneel would always give them presents. He, however, pouted every time. He wanted something similar to that thing his sis wraps around her shoulders.

Natsu also met these kids who also has dragon parents. There was this really nice woman who teaches them how to read and write, and her blonde hair was really pretty. Natsu, much to Igneel's delight, hated the black haired brat his age. There was a younger boy, but his personality was completely different from the one Natsu always fought with.

Although, whenever they have this get-together, his sis would always be away. It made him sad. He really wanted everyone to know his sis, and Natsu actually couldn't wait to brag about this to that metal face. They were apart of Natsu's little makeshift family but they weren't as loved by him as much as he loved Zia and Igneel. The both of them would _always_ be his first family, and would _always_ have a special place in his heart.

It was around when he was twelve years old, their birthday has just passed that everything suddenly felt _wrong_. They were lying down underneath the night sky, as always, but his sissy was clingier than him that night. He didn't find it weird though, and selfishly hugged her back. Igneel's tail wrapped around them when the moon was at its peak.

"Natsu," he heard his sissy's voice with a tone he couldn't describe. "Don't forget that Igneel and I _love_ you with all we have." Natsu furrowed his eyebrows at the sixteen-year-old girl. "Of course I won't. Why would I forget, sis?" He heard her hum a sad tune as she buried her face in his hair. "Nothing. I was just making sure."

"Making sure? Of what?" Natsu smelled something fishy, but refused to acknowledge what it was. His sissy was just tired, he convinced himself.

The next morning, he couldn't find Igneel nor Zia anywhere no matter how much he searched.

oooOooo

( **Year X782** )

Usually, it was the dragon Slayer of Fairy Tail who would start the brawl every morning. Usually, it was him who would start any kind of chaos in the guildhall. However, just like the past few years he'd been here, on August 8, he would enter the guild with a prominent frown.

The absence of his cheerful grin always made everyone wonder just why on this particular day did the teen loses his cheerful side. It was a shock the first time, but when it repeated the following year, everyone was curious. Not even Gray Fulbuster, his best friend and rival, could snap him out of his mood.

Erza Scarlet tried to make him spill, but the dragon slayer was tight-lipped and was too depressed to answer. It was Makarov next who tried to get the answer but not even he could get the boy talk. It just made everyone wonder why the usually loud and energetic teen would be so depressed on this day.

No one could understand the reason.

The next day, Natsu Dragneel was acting like he usually does. Energetic. Cheerful. Loud. Short-tempered. It was the same old Natsu Dragneel they knew. They always tried to get an answer after August 8 but he feigned ignorance. It was as if what he was yesterday didn't exist.

It puzzled everyone in the guild.

Happy happily munched on a fish by the bar as he watched Gray and Natsu butt heads. Out of all the members of Fairy Tail, only the blue cat knew the reason why Natsu acts that way during that time. "Happy." The blue cat glanced up to look at Mira, and shuddered when he saw the glint in her eyes.

"Can I ask you a question?" The blue cat gulped, his eyes flickered to Natsu before flickering back to Mira. "Aye."

"Do you know the reason why Natsu's so depressed on August 8?" He gulped, avoiding Mira's eyes as he looked down. What should he do?! He didn't want to die but he also didn't want to spill Natsu's past! Waahh!! Luckily, if he could consider it, an explosion saved him from the Strauss.

"Man, Natsu's going on a rampage. If he keeps this up, the whole guild will be demolished. I just know it." A random member whined whereas Happy snickered. That's Natsu alright.

But Happy inwardly frowned. He wondered why Natsu's sis disappeared along with his father.

oooOooo

( **Author's Note)**

 _So, yeah._

 _I couldn't resist making a huge timeskip._

 _... um... sorry 'bout that. I just really wanted to get on with the story._

 _Sorry again._

 _...yeah._


End file.
